West Long Branch, N.J. (April 21, 2012)—Mount St. Mary's dropped a pair of games at Monmouth on Saturday afternoon.  Monmouth rallied for a 5-4 win in the opening game while posting a 2-1 victory in game two. 

In the opening game, Monmouth (26-15, 15-5 NEC) scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to earn a 5-4 victory.

Monmouth took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Mount answered with a three-run second.  Ryan Owens and Sam Nott posted back-to-back singles to open the inning.  After a Brandon Scott sacrifice bunt, Jay Knight's sacrifice fly scored Owens.  Michael Foster and Mark Quaranta each added RBI singles to put the Mount ahead, 3-2.

After Monmouth's Jon Guida tied the game with an RBI double in the fourth, the Mount grabbed the lead in the top of the sixth.  Knight had a bunt single and Nick Walker followed with a double to right-center to plate Knight with the go-ahead run.

The Hawks countered with a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning to earn the win.  Owen Stewart and Josh Boyd singled with two outs to put runners on first and second.  A walk loaded the bases for Kyle Perry, who came through with a two-run single to center for the 5-4 lead.

The Mount (12-32, 5-19 NEC) had runners on first and second with one out in the top of the seventh, but the Hawks got a game-ending double-play to earn the win.

Mount starter Thomas Williams allowed five runs and seven hits in 5.2 innings to take the loss.  Walker and Owens each went 2-for-2 at the plate in the loss while Quaranta and Foster were 2-for-4 in the game.

In game two, Danny Avella's two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the difference in a 2-1 victory. 

Jake Gronsky doubled with one out ahead of Avella, who drove the ball over the right field fence for his second home run of the series to give Monmouth the two-run lead.

The Mountaineers cut the deficit in half in the top of the eighth when Walker doubled and then scored on a Josh Winter single.

The Mount almost tied the game in the ninth.  Andrew Clow singled with one out, and the Mount called on Zack Schramm to pinch run.  Nott then doubled to left-center field, but Schramm was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the play.  Monmouth closer Neil Harm then struck out Scott to end the game.

Brady Feigl allowed two runs and five hits in six innings to take the loss.  Dan Horner pitched two scoreless innings of relief in the game.

Winter went 3-for-4 at the plate in game two while Nott was 2-for-3 in the game.

Three of the four games in the series were decided by one run while the other was a two-run margin.  The Mount pitchers held Monmouth to 13 runs in the four games.

Mount St. Mary's returns to action on Tuesday, April 24, with a 6:05 p.m. game at Penn State.